Heavy rains continue to wreak havoc in North India

New Delhi: Heavy rains continued to lash
North India throwing normal life out of gear with most of the
rivers in the region flowing at danger level.

Moderate to rather heavy rains lashed several parts of
Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh, plummeting the maximum
temperature in the region by up to seven degrees Celsius below
normal. While Hisar was drenched by 51.8 mm of rainfall,
Karnal received 44.6 mm of rains. The maximum temperature in
the region hovered between one to seven deg C below normal.
At least 50 villages alongside Yamuna in Haryana`s
Sonepat district continued to remain on high alert for the
third consecutive day as the water in the river flowed much
above the danger mark following the release of 2.8 lakh cusecs
of water from the Tajewala Headworks near Yamunanagar.

Fields in scores of villages were submerged in rain water
in the district damaging standing crops, including jowar,
guwar and vegetables.

The level of Bhakra dam -- nestling between Punjab and
Himachal Pradesh border -- reached its threshold with the
authorities deciding to open its spill gates.

"The water level of Bhakra dam has touched 1,669 feet...
it can not be allowed beyond 1,670 feet and therefore the dam
authorities will open the spill gates tomorrow to spill out
excess water," an irrigation official said.

The MeT forecast heavy rainfall at few places in the
region tomorrow.

Heavy rains lashed Himachal Pradesh resulting in collapse
of houses across the state and triggering a massive landslide
on the Pathankot-Jogindernagar national highway.

Link roads in interior areas of Kangra, Sirmaur, Mandi
and Shimla were badly damaged following the downpour.

All major rivers and their tributaries were flowing close
to danger mark while low-lying areas in Kangra district were
submerged under water.

Two persons died and three others were injured in
Rajasthan`s capital city Jaipur when the wall of a roadside
eatery collapsed on them due to incessant rain.

South West monsoon was aggressive over the state with
Churu recording maximum rainfall of 9 cm followed by Bundi and
Sikar at 4 cm each.

A flood alert was issued in over a dozen villages in
Uttar Pradesh`s Muzaffarnagar district after excessive water
was discharged from Tajewala barrage in Haryana into Yamuna
river following heavy rains.
Incessant rains continued to lash Uttarakhand triggering
landslides and Ganga, Yamuna and its tributaries flowing at
danger level in most of the areas in the state.

While Rishikesh-Gangotri highway was blocked due to
landslides at Bhatwari and Nalupani and Rishikesh-Badrinath at
Lambagad, routes to Yamunotri was disrupted at Ranachatti and
Kedarnath at Gaurikund.

A red-alert has been issued in the entire state in view
of the continuous rains.

According to a Met forecast, moderate to rather heavy
rains would continue to lash Uttarakhand tomorrow. Moderate
rains are expected at many places while isolated places might
receive rather heavy rainfall.

Rains lashed the national capital for the second
consecutive day resulting in serpentine traffic jams and
water-logging across the city.